Should I get a 16GB or 128GB iPhone?

44 Answers from the Community

Best Answer:

Depends on what your needs are.

If you like having your iTunes Digital HD movies on there, your entire music library, you are a avid photographer and film recorder, huge mobile app game player etc then I would consider the 128GB model.

When I had my iPhone 5, I got the 32GB model, and I never came close to filling it up. I took tons of pictures and videos, but I only kept maybe 1 movie on it, and all the social media apps and rarely any mobile games (not a fan of mobile gaming as much) and I still had plenty of space.

I constantly was updating, adding and removing content on my phone so I never really had a problem with space.

But if you are the hardcore user, and I mean HARDCORE like, wanting to have 10 movies on your phone, 15,000 songs, takes about 200 pictures and videos a day, etc, I think the 128GB model would be ok. But im sure some "hardcore" users dont even fill up a 64GB, as they are contantly backing up on their laptops etc.

All in all, I think 16GB is too small, in todays standards, that would fill up rather quick. 128GB is a bit overkill, but if you have the money, why not!

Personally I think the 64GB is the best one, plenty of space, cheaper and you can invest that money into buying a Apple Watch too!

Hope this helps.

Answered by Christopher L from Ottawa

Sep 10, 2014

16GB - If you have an unlimited LTE data plan, you keep your all media on a cloud, you use media streaming services, you live in a area with good LTE reception

128GB - if you plan to store your music and movies on the phone, you don't have fast unlimited internet

Answered by Artem S from Montgomery Village

Sep 10, 2014

I do not mean to be rude, but you cannot compare 16gb to 128gb. If money is not an issue then get the one with the most storage, if you need it. Keep in mind that with each storage amount you are getting less than the advertised amount so 16gb will actually be around 12gb and 128gb will be around 116gb.

I have a 32gb Ipad Air (storage was actually 27gb) and was convinced I was going to purchase a 16gb, but when I really thought about what I would be using the tablet for I decide that more storage would be necessary. I use my ipad mainly for college. I carry ebooks, take notes, record audio of lectures (of teachers who permit it), use it for reading personal ebooks and pdfs, play some games and have various academic and leisure apps. Apps take up the majority of my storage space and videos, but in the case of videos I often delete after viewing.

The main attraction of the 6plus is the screen so I am assuming you plan to watch lots of videos because you're purchasing the bigger screened device. If that is the case and you do not intend to constantly delete videos then more storage is essential. Another consideration is how long you plan to keep the phone especially since you are already paying more for the screen and then adding the storage, it can be quite expensive.

I plan to purchase a standard Iphone 6 since I will use my ipad for video and reading. I am going to get the 64gb because it would be ridiculous (In my opinion) to pay a hundred less and lose 4x the storage space as well as the fact that I plan to keep my phone for a minimum of 4 years so the space would come in handy for the amount of time especially since I will be using my phone as a music/podcast/audiobook player. The reason why I mentioned my plan/thought process for buying the 6 is because if you develop one of your own you can then narrow down to what you'd like. I hope this was helpful and good luck!

Answered by Naomi T from Brooklyn

Sep 10, 2014

I'd like to present an argument in favour of the 128GB storage option. For me, my iPhone is my only computing device. I don't own a desktop computer, a laptop or a tablet. My last iPhone was a 16GB 5s. It was a great phone, but having just 16GB of storage space was a constant source of frustration. So I didn't think twice about getting a 128GB 6 Plus. I've had it for about 1.5 months, and I have already used over 41GB. I have about 500 songs and six HD movies stored on it, which is not a lot, really. If I had opted for the 64GB version, I would already be feeling anxious about potentially running out of room.

Yes, the 128GB option is pricey. But if you consider your potential storage space needs and conclude that you probably need it, then I think it is worth the investment. The fact that it is not possible to add additional gigabytes of storage space to an existing iPhone is another fact that should be taken into account when deciding.

I definitely feel that 128GB was the best choice for me. In fact, if the next generation iPhone is offered with even more storage space (perhaps 256GB), I would seriously consider that option.

Answered by Brent K from Chula Vista

Nov 6, 2014

Personally I would go for anything higher than a 16 GB. My girlfriend bought a 16 GB and does not need much space, but still has issues with running out of it and when there are upgrades, you will have to delete apps, songs, and stuff to make space to make that upgrade. Go for 64 or 128.

Answered by William M K from Manassas

Sep 22, 2014

Movies, music, photos, and apps all take up space on your device. One movie uses 3GB, one album from iTunes about 120MB, photos can add up quickly too. If you like to keep lots of media with you, a 64 or 128GB option will offer you a much better experience. If you prefer to stream or simply don't use your phone for movies and music then the extra storage may not be necessary.

Answered by James E from Gloucester

Sep 10, 2014

Honestly, this is my opinion. If you are just going to use the phone for calling, texting, watching videos, occasionally taking a few pictures or videos or playing games, then 16GB is fine. If you are going to be listening to music (and have a bit collection), take countless pictures, play games, then for sure get the 64GB or the 128GB. It's as easy as that. As the quality of the pictures get bigger, then they take up more space and as the operating system get more advanced they take up more space. If you are thinking of using the SLO-motion feature on the iPhone 6 then get with the larger storage for sure as that will give you more of an opportunity to simply make more content.

Answered by Marek H

Oct 5, 2014

I hardly play games, but I take a TON of pictures and videos, and like constant access to them from my phone, I have a 32GB iPhone 5S now, and it's full. I'm getting the 128GB to have no limits!

Answered by Justin Z from Middletown

Sep 13, 2014

if you never came close to the 32GB on your other phone, why do you need a 128GB this time? I think it would be a real waste of money for you and you'll probably regret it. Opt for a 64GB if you feel a 16GB won't be enough. I seem to get on OK with my 16GB but I could do with more memory than that. Shame there's no 32GB option this time :( haven't got a clue why - should have been 32 / 64 / 128.

Answered by Clare J

Sep 25, 2014

i'll go for 128 GB especially for gaming,pictures, musics and a lot more, and also updates in app which is every week there's an update.. so i'll go 128 GB for those purposes and more..

thank you..

Answered by Lemuelle M from Iliga City

Sep 9, 2014

I'm getting the iPhone 6 Plus 64GB is perfect or 128GB if your into your games and movies that require a lot of space.

Answered by Alin C from Skelmersdale

Sep 12, 2014

Well I suppose I could be wrong here, and if I am, hope someone explains it. My answer would be to go with the 16GB regardless of your needs. When you look at the difference in price, I think it is cheaper to just buy a 3T WD cloud. Then you can put your music or video library on the cloud, and access it on your iphone whenever you want to use it.

I have a 16GB iphone 5 and my music library far exceeds the 16GB. Yet I can listen to my music without problem because it is on my cloud. Of course you do use more data this way so you want to use wifi whenever possible if your data usage is problematic.

Answered by Kenneth S from Port Charlotte

Sep 22, 2014

I think one also needs to think about whether they can access stuff on the cloud and if they can access it whenever they want whether it's downloading from Dropbox or streaming stuff. I have lived with 16gb since I bought the iphone 4 and haven't needed anymore, even with the rise of BYOD. I have an ipad so I dedicate that to storing files for work and other things I need to edit. When I did occasionally run out, I just made sure my images or music were on the cloud so I could access them whenever I needed them. And with Apples new iCloud packages coming, it's probably worth just getting the 16gb. trust the cloud!!!

Answered by Matt L from Sarasota

Sep 11, 2014

Depends on what you use your phone for... I have 6000 photos and 3000 songs and I am at 57 gigs on my 5. I am bought the 128 gig so that I'll have plenty of room for more music.

Answered by Mark M from Fort Lauderdale

Oct 15, 2014

well, if you want to save money you should get the 16 GB. If the price doesn't matter to you but you need a lot of storage then get the 128 GB. Or if you need a little bit of both get the 64 GB

Answered by Milan J from Freehold

Sep 10, 2014

Your question should be: should I get 16GB or more and the answer is easy and I'll explain.

Others have mentioned that you really get less USABLE storage than what it says and you can't increase it later. My personal 4s has 64GB and I have taken a lot of pictures and videos on trips over the last 3 years. If I hadn't dumped all those pictures and videos to my computer to save on DVDs, I would have been out of space quickly. I have a lot of apps (too many hobbies) and it really is nice to not have to worry when you're out someplace away from your computer that you will run out of space while taking a picture. Yes it costs an extra $100 to increase the memory from 16GB to 64GB, but in 6-8 months, you might be kicking yourself because you didn't spend that $100.

My personal conflict is whether to go 64GB or 128GB. It would be nice to have a lot of movies and TV shows stored for times when you have some time to kill and don't feel like reading.

Answered by James D from Tuscaloosa

Oct 22, 2014

I'm getting the 128GB delivered on Friday, I am a hard core user as I use my phone and iPad to transport my entire music collection (even then I already know it wont fit on a 128 GB iPhone), I previously had a iPhone 5 64GB which I filled with ease I now have to pick and chose which apps/music/photos&movies I delete if I wish to add new items. So for my self 128 Gb will offer more versatility.

The question is how much space do you think you are going to use and what u are using your iPhone for...

Answered by Nigel W

Sep 12, 2014

Nowadays apps like games becoming bigger and bigger like 1GB+ in size, so you need more storage for that, but if you are an avid fan of games you should consider of getting the 128gb. For me, i usually use it more for capturing photos and videos. Videos alone takes a lot of storage on your phone and im not like the type of always have the time of transferring all the save videos to an external drive. Icloud also can be use to store photos and videos but the thing is you still need a internet connection just to view it, unless you have unlimited lte or 3g data and you can browse it anywhere. You will not regret of getting the 128gb, bigger storage is much better, but still it depends on you. goodluck! :)

Answered by Glen P from Cupertino

Nov 12, 2014

You're not really saving much if any money in the long haul. First, there is resale value, but I'll leave that argument out for now. If you become a big data user, you'll pay more for the 16gb via increased bandwidth usage and increased iCloud storage space for your photos and such. If you only have 16gb, you'll likely stream all of your music because it won't fit on your phone and store all of your photos off your phone on cloud storage. Now, you're adding 2 or 4gb to your monthly cellular data plan for all of that streaming. Take the extra $100 for memory and divide that dollar amount by the number of moths you plan on owning the phone. Compare that dollar amount to the cost of an increase in data (if you don't have an unlimited plan) and you'll likely find that the memory cost is a bargain. Plus, accessing data (like photos) held in the iPhone's memory is faster and more enjoyable then browsing streamed remote content.

Answered by Thomas D from Bloomington

Mar 10, 2015

128GB if you need the space and can afford it. I like to save photos and need libraries full of photos videos & movies or tv series so more memory is needed but you can also buy as much storage as possible and store items in the cloud until needed so you don't have to delete items. Buy more cloud space as needed after checking to see what is provided for free from your carrier